I’m proud to share news of the Washington Monthly’s Kukula Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Book Reviewing. The award, new in 2020, honors the memory of the late Kukula Kapoor Glastris, the magazine’s longtime and beloved books editor (and my wife of 31 years). It celebrates the kind of serious, public-affairs-focused book reviews that Kukula prized—and the talented individuals who practice this undervalued craft.
This spring, we’ll honor two reviewers and their publications for exceptional book reviewing in 2019, giving priority to pieces about politics, public affairs, history and biography. We’re keeping it simple, with an easy application process and no entry fee. And we’re pleased to offer a $1,000 honorarium to each winner. The deadline is April 10, 2020.
The brilliant and treasured books editor of the Washington Monthly, Kukula (“Kuku” to her legions of friends and fans) made the book review section the home of some of the magazine’s best thinking and writing.
A keen editor and diplomatic manager of writers, she served as den mother and provisioner of delicious late-night home-cooked meals to a generation of young Washington Monthly journalists. “I’ve never met anyone whose combination of personal goodness, plus intellectual and professional abilities, exceeded Kukula’s,” journalist James Fallows wrote in The Atlantic. You’ll find more details about the prize and Kukula, along with the entry form, here.
Questions? Please email us at KukulaAward@WashingtonMonthly.com.
